Teachers

After graduating from Manchester University with a BA (Hons) in Politics and Economics, Sheikh Muhammed Zaqir studied in Damascus, Syria for 8 years at the Prestigious Abu Noor Institute and studied several classical disciplines of Islamic knowledge at the hands of some of the most prominent holders of the tradition. He has also been blessed with the opportunity to spend time in the illuminated city of Tarim, Hadramaut; where he studied at the eminent Institute Dar ul Mustafa, under the qualified hands of some of the most illustrious guides of knowledge. Being classically trained in the sacred sciences he has attained formal ijazahs in various Islamic Disciplines.

Molana Shafi is a graduate of the distinguished Islamic seminary, Dewsbury Darul Uloom; which has produced some of the most prominent Ulema of the world today. From this Seminary Molana Shafi has had the honor of receiving tutelage of the sacred Islamic Sciences from teachers with isnad in the classical disciplines who are of great academic and spiritual merit. Having been classically trained in the sacred sciences, he has attained formal ijazahs in Tajweed, the Seven Qur'anic Recitations, Qur'anic Tafsir, Ahadith, Fiqh, Aqidah, and Arabic Language. He previously held a post as a lecturer of various Islamic subjects at a leading Muslim college in London. In addition he has been blessed with the opportunity to spend time in South East Asia, the Middle East, and Western Europe, where he was engaged in Da'wah work within Muslim communities. Furthermore Molana Shafi is an affiliate of many local Da'wah projects, he has previously been an editor of an Islamic publishing house, and as a specialist in the field of Arabic Language and Grammar; he is an instructor of this branch of knowledge, as well as other Islamic disciplines, to mature students and adults.

Sheikh Zakarya Bin Yahya has had the honour of studying at some of the most renowned seminaries in the Indian sub-continent and has received tutelage in the sacred Islamic Sciences from teachers with isnad in the classical disciplines who are of great academic and spiritual repute. Sheikh Zakarya initially started his education in his home town in Algeria where he was born and raised thereafter he continued his studies at the Islamic University: Madrassa Arabiya in Raiwind, Pakistan. He then continued his studies of the Islamic sciences at Darul uloom, Faisalabad and later graduated in Jamia Islamiya, Binnuri Town Karachi (Daratul Hadeeth).As a result of being classically trained in the sacred sciences Sheikh Zakarya has formal qualifications in Tajweed, Arabic language and grammar, Hadith, Maliki Fiqh & Maliki Usul. After completing his studies he then spent 3 years in France teaching the Quran and Arabic language to the Arab communities . Sheikh Zakarya has now relocated to the UK, and being a specialist in the field of Arabic language and grammar, now teaches Qur'anic Arabic to mature students and adults.

Ustadh Yasser Ahmed Qureshi initially undertook a degree in Arabic Language at the University of Westminster and subsequently carried on in his pursuit of sacred knowledge in the blessed lands of Syria, Damascus. There he completed a 1 year intensive course in Arabic Language at the prestigious Abu Noor University. Thereafter he enrolled onto the 3 year Islamic Studies programme at the same institute graduating with 1st class honours. He studied the major classical disciplines of Islamic knowledge whilst privately supplementing his studies at the hands of some of the most prominent holders of the tradition. Ustadh Yasser is currently studying for an M.A. and at the same time teaches Shafi'i fiqh, Ḥadith and the Arabic Language whilst furthering his studies in the Islamic sciences with local scholars in Leicester.

Molana Suleiman graduated from Darul Uloom Bury with the Aalimiyah Shahadah Qualification. While studying there, the esteemed Sheikh Yusuf Motala acknowledged the talent of Molana Suleiman in the field of writing and therefore encouraged him to take a professional course of Islamic Calligraphy in Pakistan. On taking the advice of Sheikh Yusuf Motala, he studied under the tutelage of the late Shah Sayyid Anwar Hussain, who was a world renowned Calligrapher who sat on many international panels and his Calligraphy is displayed all around the world. Molana Suleiman received Ijaza from Shah Sayyid Anawar Hussain in 1986 and as a result is authorised to teach different styles of Islamic Calligraphy, namely: Naskh, Ta'liq, Thuluth, Diwani, Riq'a and Nuss ta'leeq. Since returning from Pakistan Molana Suleiman has taught Calligraphy at Darul Uloom Bury, and after moving to Leicester he has been in engaged in designing logos for business, Masajid and other organisations. Furthermore he has taught at the Leicester Darul Uloom and does Calligraphy on vases and canvases, which are then auctioned for charity.

Molana Abdul Hafiz Qadri

Having completed hifz ul Quran at home with his father, he enrolled at the prestigious Islamic seminary, Dewsbury Darul Uloom. He later went on to complete the aalimiyyah from Darul Uloom Bury, Lancs. Immediately thereafter, he began a teaching career with Darul Uloom Leicester, and then with the Islamic Dawah Academy, Leicester. Aside from the Qur'an and Tajweed he has taught many subjects including Arabic Grammar, Rhetoric, Translation of the Qur'an and Islamic History. He also remained head of the publications and translations at the above institute for 4 years. In the subsequent years he took an M.A. in Islamic Studies from the Markfield Institute of Higher Education. He has been working closely with many organisations in production and editing of literature, such as Fisabilillah and Friends of al-Aqsa. He is also the founding editor of a publication dedicated to dawah and propagation, namely Counter Current, which is distributed free to non-Muslims. He has carried out varied services to the Muslim community.

Sheikh Jamal Sharif Yusuf

Sheikh Jamal Sharif started his education at the Islamic Seminary Jamiat al-Ilm wa al-Huda, UK in 2003. He thereafter travelled to the Middle East where he attained a BA (Hons) in Sharia Law from the Ahqaaf University in Tarim, Yemen. Subsequently, Sheikh Jamal studied the Islamic sciences extensively for over a period of 15 years. As a result he has attained formal ijazat in Tajweed, the Seven Qur'anic Recitations, Qur'anic Tafsir, Hadith, Shafi’i Fiqh, Usul al Fiqh, Aqidah, and Arabic Language. His specialism’s lie in the fields of Usul al Fiqh and Arabic Language/ Grammar. Sheikh Jamal now resides in the UK and is currently an instructor of the Arabic language, as well as other Islamic disciplines, to mature students and adults.

Umm Mohammed Khan

After graduating with a BA (Hons) degree in Applied Social Sciences from Nottingham Trent University, Umm Mohammed Khan took to study the various Sacred Islamic Sciences in England and then in the blessed lands of Syria, Damascus. She then followed up her studies of the Sacred Sciences in the illuminated city of Tarim, Hadramaut. Although she is a specialist in the science of intonation al-Tajweed, she is also qualified to teach Hanafi Jurisprudence and Aqidah.

Umm Khadijas main area of interest is Arabic Language and Tajwid, as well as taking a keen interest in organizing activities and programs for home schoolers. In 2006 she travelled to Syria where she completed the one year Arabic language programme at Abu Noor. Parallel to this, she studied tajwid (Quran intonation) for three years with Sheikh Anas al-Hibri, one of the most respected tajwid teachers in Syria who holds numerous licenses (ijazat) from the foremost scholars of our time. Her period of study culminated in her obtaining her teaching license (ijaza) from Sheikh Anas after three years of concentrated study. She also studied Shafi fiqh and Sira during her stay in Syria. She currently teaches and lives in Leicester with her husband and two daughters.

For the last ten years Sister Khadija extensively studied the Arabic language under the tutelage of the esteemed Sheikh Tijani. On attaining a high command of the Arabic language, and constant encouragement and prayer of her teacher, Sister Khadija formally began to teach Qur'anic Arabic in 2003, the same year in which she graduated with a Masters degree in Islamic Studies with distinction at MIHE (Markfield Institute of Higher Education) in association with the University of Portsmouth. Since 2004, she has mainly devoted her time to studying the Qur'an, as well as teaching sisters and children a basic understanding of the Qur'an using the method of her teacher, which utilises Arabic grammar only as necessary tools for the derivation of meaning, the ultimate aim of which is to move the heart into contentment and tranquility and the actions into obedience and mercy when reciting, listening and understanding the actual words of the Creator in His final message to humankind: the Qur'an.

Appa Ayesha Manjoo completed her Advanced Islamic Studies Course (Darse al-Nizami) at the Mueenal Islam Seminary, Lenasia, South Africa. The five year course covered many Islamic sciences. Thereafter she memorised the Quran and also completed a Masters in Islamic Studies at Markfield Institute of Higher Education (MIHE). She has taught extensively at various levels and institutes. She is highly versatile and experienced teacher having a love and commitment to teaching children. She has homeschooled her three children up to KS3.

Ustadha Souad Lakhouiri was born, raised and formally educated in Morocco. She has received teacher training and qualified as a teacher in 2001. Since then, Ustadha Soaud has had extensive experience working with primary school children, specifically in the field of language development. In addition, Ustadha Souad has had experience working in a

management role at a children’s orphanage ‘Jameia Al Abrar’ (Morocco). Furthermore, whilst in Morocco Ustadha Souad also took the opportunity to study Tajweed, Fiqh, and Islamic history. She has now relocated to the UK and currently teaches the Arabic Language, at Darul Arqam to children and sisters.

Guest & Occasional Teachers

Periodically teachers from the Muslim heartlands will also be invited to deliver courses and lectures benefitting us from their specialized knowledge of the sacred sciences.

Mufti [Abu Abdillah] Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari is a young, traditionally trained scholar who studied in different parts of the world. Born in Leicester, UK, and raised under the guidance of his illustrious father, Sheikh Molana Adam, he started learning about Islam from a very young age and memorized the entire Qur'an at a very tender age of nine. He initially studied the Arabic language and various other traditional Islamic sciences including Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir), Hadith and Fiqh at Dar al-Uloom, Bury, UK, under many Shuyukh notably: Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf Motala and the late Sheikh al-Hadith Islam ul Haq, and thus received authorizations (ijazahs) in various books including the six major collections of Hadith. He also received Ijazah in Hadith from the late Grand Mufti of India, Sheikh Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi, and underwent a one year course of specialization in the science of issuing religious verdicts (Fatwa). After graduating from the Dar al-Uloom, he travelled to Karachi, Pakistan, where he studied under one of the greatest living scholars, Justice (Rtd) Sheikh Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani and others, and received authorizations. Later, he travelled to Damascus, Syria, where he increased in experience and knowledge by studying under the great Ulama there and received authorizations (ijazahs) from Sheikh Abd al-Razzaq al-Halabi, Sheikh Dr. Abd al-Latif Farfur al-Hasani and others.